


Head Over Boots

by omw_to_Winterfell



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Horses, Quincy the sweetheart, Sandor is basically a cowboy, Stranger the horse from hell, a lil love story, don't judge the wellies, little to no angst, this could be sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omw_to_Winterfell/pseuds/omw_to_Winterfell
Summary: Sansa is super nervous when she takes a job on a ranch all the way in America. She packs up her life and says goodbye to all she loves just to help some troubled and abused horses. And maybe even the troubled and abused man who takes care of them.
Relationships: Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark
Comments: 337
Kudos: 327





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! So basically this is my first go at writing fanfiction. It'll probably be shite but I felt the need to be part of the community after reading so many fictions already. 
> 
> This first chapter just sets up our favourite characters so it won't be too long. Please feel free to deliver criticism so I know what to change. 
> 
> Here goes nothing, I suppose...
> 
> OH YEAH ONE MORE THING! I am neither American nor British so if I get some stuff wrong please let me know!

The ping that sounds before an announcement pulled Sansa from her uncomfortable nap. She is filled with nothing but relief when she hears the captain calmly announce, “Ladies and Gentlemen, our descent towards Casper/Natrona County International Airport will begin shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts in order for our cabin crew to begin their final checkups. Thank you for flying with us.”

Sansa lightly rubs the sleep out of her eyes. It’s only been a three-hour flight from Colorado to Wyoming but she had a 16-hour flight from London before this one _. I shouldn’t have slept so much on this flight_ , she thought to herself. She was still a bit confused with the time zones and didn’t want to risk being jetlagged and out of action for too long.

She needed this job. She needed this break. She needed a change of scenery and this job was exactly that. Her mind wandered back home. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. Her mother, sister and two younger brothers were all teary-eyed and sniffling when they were saying their goodbyes. Even her stoic father and older brother looked close to tears at certain points. She had hugged each one of them and bravely continued on her journey. Into the Unknown.

Her hardest goodbye, however strange it sounds, wasn’t her family. It was Lady, her dapple-grey mare. Sansa couldn’t recall a day in her life that Lady hadn’t been a part of. First thing in the morning, it was mucking out her stall and letting her out into the paddock. Come evening, she always gave her a good brush down before putting her back in. She loved that horse. Actually, she loved horses in general, and that’s the only reason she was able to part with her beloved Lady. To help other horses.

She had applied immediately after seeing the ad on one of the many horse forums she scrolled through in her free time. It was the perfect opportunity for her to put her knowledge and experiences to good use and to get away in return.

_No, it’s time for a fresh start. I won’t step into my new life while still obsessing about the past._

She turned her mind away from what she left behind and thought instead about what lay ahead of her. She wondered about the horses she would be working with, her new room, her new boss.

They had only communicated through email, and from what she could tell, he seemed like a very direct and to-the-point person. S.Clegane. He hadn’t wasted time with the normal interviewing questions, no, he wanted to know about the extent of her knowledge and the experiences with different types of horses.

It only made sense, she supposed, that he would pepper her with those questions. They mostly had abused and mistreated horses on the ranch and it would not do to have an inexperienced person in charge of a 900-pound troubled animal.

The only thing that could have counted against Sansa is the fact that she grew up learning the English riding style. It was going to be a chance to learn the rules and commands of Western riding. They can’t be all that much different from each other, can they? But then again she wasn’t flying all this way only to be riding.

 _All I can hope for is that he gives me a chance_ …

***

Sandor sat hunched over, elbows on his knees, his large form uncomfortable in the small airport chairs. It was getting late and the flight had only landed a few minutes ago. He knew it might still be another couple of minutes before they would come walking through the gates. Before _she_ would come walking through the gates.

It all seemed a terrible idea to him. The last thing he wanted was some smug, self-righteous girl on the ranch. _If only Renly hadn’t gone and got himself in love_ , he thought bitterly. Of course, he was happy for the man, but now it meant he would be without help, and stubborn as Sandor was, he knew he wouldn’t have been able to keep the ranch going on his own for long.

It had been a tough job finding someone. Margaery had helped him put ads out on every horse-related platform they could find but he was still surprised when he received an email all the way from England. He couldn’t deny that Sansa Stark had some valuable experiences under her belt. She spent a lot of her time at the World Horse Welfare branch near her and had apparently worked with many types of abused horses. Still, he wasn’t happy about sharing a roof with someone after being alone for so long.

_I don’t mind giving up a bit of my space if she’s as good as she says she is. I guess there’s only way to find out what she’s made of._

Working with troubled horses wasn’t easy. You could spend weeks building the trust of the animal only for it to be broken when you accidentally make a loud noise, scaring them into their shells again.

The thing he appreciated about them was that it was never his face that caused them to be distrustful or spooked. _Just another reason horses are better than people._ He knew what was ahead of him. How scared or repulsed this new girl was going to be.

His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed small bundles of people making their way out of the gates. He took one final look at the paper with her surname on it in his hands and got up. _God, I feel stupid standing here with this dumb fucking sign._ He started looking through the people, wondering with which one of them he was going to have share his truck with for the trip back.

The already small amounts of people coming out the gate were starting to lessen and he started to worry if she would even show up, when he noticed a redhead walk through, dragging a massive suitcase behind her. He could see she was clearly looking for someone, clearly very nervous.

She noticed him, standing awkwardly there with the sign, and he saw her change her course. As she started to make her way towards him, he properly took in the sight of her.  
  


_Holy fucking shit_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa commits a small blunder upon meeting Sandor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here ya go! I know, I know it's short but I wanted to at least release something before disappearing. I have a bunch of exams this week so I probably won't be able to get much writing in but I promise to update as soon as my schedule allows it. 
> 
> Before we start, though, I just wanted to thank each and everyone who read my story! Thank you to those who commented and thank you in advance for coming back and reading the second chapter. It means the world to me and I can't say thank you enough. I'll try and post updates on my Tumblr, which is the same as my username here. 
> 
> Okay enough yapping, let's get going!

She was walking toward him, her long legs making her strides look effortless. And even though she was in sweatpants and a hoodie looking exhausted, he was willing to bet she was the most beautiful woman at that airport. Easily.

He saw her falter for a fraction of a second and he knew she had seen his scars. He prepared himself for the horror he knew would be evident on her heart-shaped face. But she seemed to have recovered almost quicker than she hesitated because suddenly she was in front of him with her hand stretched out.

“Mr Clegane? I’m Sansa Stark. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She was looking him straight in his eyes and he felt as though he might drown in hers. They were big and they were blue and they reminded him of the open sky he so often went riding underneath.

He extended his hand in return and it practically engulfed hers when he took it. Her shake was firm, determined.

After about a moment of silence, Sandor realized that he hadn’t even spoken yet. He quickly cleared his throat. “Yes, uh, welcome. Can I take that for you?” he asked, gesturing towards her large suitcase. Her reply came lightheartedly, “Oh, thank you, but there’s really no need. I’ve been dragging it this far, what’s a few more?”

“Suit yourself,” he grunted, turned and started walking towards the arrivals parking area. It took her a second to register what was happening but she quickly fell in next to him, trying her best to keep up with his pace. Her breaths were coming more laboured and he soon realized that it was because of that big, lumbering, damned suitcase of hers. He halted abruptly and turned to her.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, girl, just give it here.”

She hesitantly offered the handle to him and he took if without ceremony and continued walking, this time slowing his pace a little bit to make it easier for her.

_I should say something. What the fuck do you say to some girl you just met? No, not just some girl. The single most attractive girl you’ve ever had the pleasure to lay your damned eyes upon._

“Did you at least have a pleasant trip?” he hears himself ask. _That’ll do, I suppose._

She seems pleasantly surprised at his inquiry as if though she didn’t think him capable of manners. But just as earlier, she doesn’t show it for long before she starts, “Oh it was a bit tiring but other than that I can’t really complain.”

He doesn’t ask another question and she seems okay with that.

***

After a short walk, they arrive at his truck parked close to the exit. Sansa focuses on her breathing to try and calm down her heart that’s currently hammering in her ears.

_It’s not that he’s scary, I mean he is scary looking but I guess that isn’t his fault. I just wasn’t prepared for those scars. I really hope he isn’t going to hold that against me._

Sansa quickly steals a glance at him as he’s lifting her suitcase in the backseat of his double cab with ease. His shoulder-length dark hair falls forward over his face as he makes sure the case is secured before turning to her, his large hands resting on his hips.

“You going to keep staring at me like that or are you going to get in?”

Sansa could feel her face reddening as she tried to think of a response, an excuse, anything other than just opening and closing her mouth like some fish on dry land.

“Save it. Spare me your empty excuses, girl. I know how they look. Just get it over with and get your fill so we can go, there’s still a long way to go.” His voice is rough and abrupt and he doesn’t have to tell Sansa twice as she immediately walks and climbs in the passenger seat of his Abyss Gray Ford F-150.

Once she’s finished buckling herself in, she neatly folds her hands in her lap and looks straight ahead, suddenly afraid to look at him again.

“We have about a 2-hour drive ahead of us. Are you hungry?”

She was. She didn’t eat much during her flight. But she also didn’t want to cause any sort of delay to this large man next to her. _I already caused offence in the first hour of knowing him._ It was probably best to dial it down. “No, not really. I think I’ll be alright.”

“We’ll be stopping for gas so if you change your mind we can get you something there.” Without any further questioning, he switched on the ignition and the truck rumbled to life.

As they drove on in silence Sansa gathered all she could of her courage and looked over at him. His good side was facing her, making it easier for her to take in his features. His brow was heavy, his cheekbones strong and his nose hooked. His jawline was visible even though he had a neatly trimmed beard. His hair was dark and thin. But of all his features, his steel-grey eyes were the most prominent. For the moment they were focused on the road and Sansa was glad he had not caught her staring again. _He could have been attractive if the other side of his face wasn’t a ruin._ Somehow Sansa couldn’t shake the thought that he still was attractive, in an unconventional way.

She again turned herself forward, following his example of keeping her eyes on the road. And every now and then, Sansa couldn’t help but wonder if she was imagining him glancing over at her in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know my tenses are all over the place! Is it past? Is it present? I honestly do not know. All that's important to me is that I get the story across. 
> 
> As always, don't be afraid to criticize me, I'm here to learn. I want to know what you like and what you don't.
> 
> If you have any suggestions or just want to chat, feel free to message me on Tumblr, it's where I waste most of my time anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, all you lovely people! I finally had some windows to get a bit of writing done. This one isn't much longer than the others but at least it's something eh?
> 
> Thank you all so much for all the comments and love, it means so much to me and keeps me motivated.

He wasn’t lying when he said that they had a long drive ahead of them. The first hour’s drive had been on asphalt. Their travel so far had been relatively quiet. They did stop for gas as he’d mentioned and he had bought them each a bag of crisps- chips he had called them- and a bottle of coke.

When they were talking it was mostly about the easiest topic they both had some knowledge about, horses. The conversation flowed easily, though it still felt awkward. He clearly wasn’t much of a talker, that or he was still annoyed with her because of the whole staring fiasco. It had occurred to Sansa that she was still thinking of him as _he_ or Mr _Clegane,_ but she didn’t know his name and it seemed too late to ask. 

After a while, they turned off the asphalt and onto the more bumpy gravel roads. Sansa soon understood why the large truck was his vehicle of choice. While the ride was somewhat shaky at some stages, the truck made the ride at a comfortable speed seem effortless.

It was darker inside the cab now that there weren’t any lights by the roadside. The truck’s headlights illuminated only the road and a little of the yellow grass that grew beside it, the rest was dark. _Can’t really see much. Not that there’s much to see._ Except for the occasional tree, there wasn’t much in the country-side except grass. It all felt completely foreign to Sansa.

The radio showed it was 2:48 am when he brought the truck to a stop in front of a long silver farm gate. There wasn’t a house or a barn or anything but grass and darkness to be seen around Sansa.

 _Why are we stopping? This can’t be it. Do we need to like make camp or something?_

The confusion must have been apparent on her face because he released a sound that was between a scoff and a laugh before clarifying, “We’re not there yet. Well, technically we are. This is where the property starts, this is the gate.” With that, he opened his door, got out and walked to the gate. After swinging it open, he walked back, got in, drove through, only to get out and close it again.

It was about a ten-minute drive when they finally pulled up to the ranch house. It was a dark evening but from what Sansa could see, the house had a modern-country type of vibe. He switched off the ignition and stared straight ahead for a moment before turning towards her while rasping, “I guess I should say welcome home, right? I’ll show you around soon enough but for now, I’d just like to get some fucking sleep.” Without waiting for any sort of answer he got out and opened the back door to retrieve her case.

Sansa slowly climbed out of the truck and carefully closed the door before stretching her limbs. _Too much sitting today, that’s for sure._ She took a deep breath, realizing how even the air felt _open._ It was a new moon, explaining the extreme darkness, but it caused the stars to be even more visible. Unable to stop gazing up, Sansa was filled with nostalgia as she thought back to all those evenings her father spent explaining all the constellations and planets to her and her siblings.

She was brought back to the present when she realized he had come to a standstill a few feet from her, clearly waiting. Sansa quickly cleared her throat, folded her hands neatly in front of her and apologized, “Sorry, uhm, please lead the way.” He looked at her, grunted, and started walking towards the front door, and Sansa set off to follow him.

He unlocked the door and disappeared into the darkness inside the house. It was then when Sansa realized the situation she had put herself in. Here she was, in another country, on a farm literally in the middle of nowhere, with a strange man she knew absolutely nothing about. A man so large he could easily overpower her and cause a lot of damage without really even trying. A strange sort of fear crept up her spine. She didn’t want to go through that again.

The lights went on inside the house and Sansa had no choice but to step inside. She found herself looking at what seemed to be the living room. The kitchen on her left had an open plan and the dining room connected looked as though it was being used as an office space instead.

Mr Clegane stood at the kitchen island. He picked up a piece of paper off the counter and walked over to hand it to her. “The Wi-Fi password. I assume you would like to let your family know you’re safe?” Sansa grimaced inwardly. Had he sensed her panic of being alone with him here? Sansa hoped not, and so she put on a polite smile.

“Thank you, Mr Clegane. And thank you for coming to get me at the airport as well, I know it was really inconvenient.”

“I was the one who hired you, girl. It’s only reasonable that I had to go get you.” He took her suitcase and started walking towards what had to be the bedrooms across the living room. He stopped after a few steps to rasp over his shoulder, “And none of that Mr Clegane shit. My name’s Sandor,” he continued walking and Sansa, again, followed.

He came to a stop in the little hallway. “Here’s the bathroom, and next to it is your room.” He opened the door but allowed her to enter first. The room was plain, a double bed with a white duvet in the centre of it. There was a wooden dresser and a full-length mirror as well. It was plain, yes, but Sansa already felt as though she could make the space her own. He put her case down and walked back to go stand in the doorframe as if he wanted to give her space.

He cleared his throat before rumbling, “Well I’ll leave you to get settled. Since tomorrow’s Sunday, you can use it to adjust and whatnot before you start on Monday. The towels in the bathroom are all washed and clean, so you can use them.” He visibly paused, clearly going through what else there was that needed to be said, but instead settled for, “I’ll leave you to it then, goodnight,” and turned to leave.

“Goodnight Mr Cl- I mean Sandor, and thank you again.”

His only response was a grunt before he disappeared into what had to be his room.

***

Sandor was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to Sansa scurry around in her room. Exhausted as he was, sleep would not come easily. It wasn’t that she was being too loud or making unnecessary noise, but after living on his own for so long, it was strange listening to another person’s routines in his own home.

After unpacking, she went to take a shower, still clearly trying to be as quiet as possible. Sandor rolled onto his side, facing away from the door and went through the day’s events rather than think about the girl that was currently showering across the hall.

After the long drive here he was in a hurry to get to bed. It had been a long day and while the drive was without incident, it somehow was emotionally draining. They hadn’t talked much, and she was probably feeling overwhelmed with everything. Moving to a new country, a new life all on her own was bound to be nerve-wracking. Throw him and his scars into the mix, it was a wonder she’s still standing.

There was no way she wasn’t bothered by him and his ugly mug but somehow she was determined to not let it show. It had annoyed him. He knew the disaster that was his face and acting like it didn’t look the way it did wasn’t going to make it any better. He was ready to bark some sense into her once they got out of the truck.

Her reaction to the night sky, however, stopped him dead in his tracks.

She had been gazing up at the sky with the most innocent and pure of expressions on her beautiful pale face. A sense of wonder had her mouth slightly open and her round eyes open wide. After noticing him waiting for her, the slight nervousness was back in an instant and he wanted to kick himself for causing that reaction in her. She still followed him to the house though, and soon he was showing her to the guest room. _Her_ room.

Not for the first time, Sandor wondered how much of his life was now going to change because of the girl now living under his roof. He knew there were obvious changes that were going to be needed to make, but that was before he _saw_ her. How do you live, how do share a space with someone that beautiful without slowly losing your fucking mind?

He heard the bathroom door open and her bedroom door close. He rolled back onto his back and folded his arm across his eyes with a sigh, begging sleep to come. He didn’t know if it was the silence that finally filled his house or if he reached some extreme point of exhaustion but soon after Sandor drifted off into sleep with a hazy image of a beautiful chestnut mare dancing in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please feel free to comment, to criticize, and to suggest.  
> Also, would you guys prefer it if I put Sansa or Sandor before each character's POV? Let me know what you guys would like.
> 
> Have a good one and please stay safe!  
> XOXO


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandor cooks breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, all you lovely people. I survived my exams (only just.)  
> I was super excited to get back to writing.
> 
> Thanks again to everyone who read, commented or left kudos. You guys make me feel super loved <3 
> 
> As always, don't hold back when you feel the need to criticize, I want to improve!

Early Sunday morning Sandor found himself sneaking around in his own home for the first time in his life. He’d been woken up by his alarm, like always, but for the first time, he shot up to kill the damn thing before it could wake his houseguest.

_No, roommate_ , Sandor thought with a sigh. He figured it would take some getting used to, the fact that he was going to have to take another person into consideration every time he did or wanted to do something.

He got an old t-shirt from his drawer and pulled it on. There was a girl in the house now and it wouldn’t do for him to just walk around in his sweatpants. _Yet another luxury I no longer have,_ Sandor thought bitterly.

Walking out his bedroom he silently came to a halt outside hers. The door was closed and he didn’t hear any movement, so he guessed her to be still asleep. The time difference must really have done a number on her. That, or she simply isn’t an early riser. _That’ll have to change,_ Sandor reflected as he started his walk towards the kitchen again.

The day started early here on the ranch. You could plan your day as thoroughly as you wanted but there was never a guarantee that everything would go according to plan, and it seldom did. That was the beauty of working with the animals, Sandor’s days were never exactly the same. Sure, some things never change, like feeding the horses or checking the water troughs, but then even those things sometimes brought their own excitement.

After fixing himself a cup of strong coffee, Sandor stepped out to the porch. _At least this little ritual can still continue,_ he thought as he went to sit down on the steps. From here he had a perfect view of the paddock, and therefore the horses, so it was always possible to immediately notice if something went wrong throughout the night.

Sandor preferred having them in the field or paddock whenever they weren’t being handled. He mostly only had the horses stabled during bad weather, vet checkups, or when they were being worked with. Since it was the weekend, things were a bit more relaxed.

He silently sat watching the few horses grazing lazily while thinking of all that needed to be done today. There was a new load feed being delivered tomorrow so there had to be made space for it in the barn. That was his top priority for the day.

His mind wandered back to the girl currently sleeping inside the house. He wasn’t lying when he said he’d give her the day to adjust. He wanted her to adapt to the routine here as effortlessly as possible. Not only for his or the horses’ sake but for hers as well.

_You’ve only known her a few hours and she’s already causing you stress. Calm the fuck down._

He gulped down the rest of the coffee left in his mug and stood up.

_She’s just something new and different you have to get used to. Just a new company. Nothing weird. It’ll blow over._

Sandor stepped back into the house and walked over to the fridge. He opened it and started taking stock of what there was. He supposed a good and large breakfast was what he needed before all that had to be done today. That and a certain someone might appreciate the gesture.

_What the actual fuck has happened to you, Clegane._

He began by getting everything from the fridge and started on the bacon and eggs. The toast, he figured, could be done last.

Years of living on his own and having a big appetite turned Sandor into a decent cook. Then again, bacon, eggs and toast were fail-proof just in case the girl was used to fancy, high-end meals.

He was just about to turn the oven on to keep her food from getting cold when he heard her door open. When he turned to face her, his stomach somersaulted. Yes, they haven’t even known each other 24 hours and he was not used to her presence but more importantly, he wasn’t used to her beauty and there was a nagging in the back of his head that suggested he might never get used to it.

_Get yourself in line and don’t fuck this up._

***

Sansa woke to the sound of sizzling somewhere in the house. It took her a moment to register where she was. As soon as she got her bearings she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, got up and started walking towards her door.

She was about to pull open the door when her mind started functioning properly. She remembered the man she was living with now and realized that walking out and about in her pyjamas probably wasn’t the most appropriate thing to do. She quickly spun around and went to her closet to figure out what to wear.

She decided that casual and modest would be her best option and so she went for black tracksuit bottoms and a green t-shirt. The outfit could easily be mistaken for pyjamas but at least she was wearing a bra now so it didn’t matter as much to Sansa then. Feeling better after pulling her hair into a ponytail, she walked out the door.

He was standing at the stove and had just turned to see her emerge from her room. Turning again, he got a plate from the cupboard and started shovelling food onto it.

With his back to her, Sansa could see that his hair was pulled back into a very messy bun. She guessed that he probably tied it back for sleeping and it just got dishevelled through the night. Not that Sansa was complaining, it wasn’t exactly an unattractive look.

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Sansa immediately put herself back in her place. He was her employer, her boss, and it would not do to have inappropriate thoughts. She stopped herself from assessing him or his clothes any further.

Instead, she walked over into the kitchen area and sat at the island with a friendly, “Good morning.”

His reply was a gruff, “Morning,” before he placed the plate in front of her. She looked up at him, surprised.

“Was making for myself and figured you had to eat too,” was the explanation he offered to her questioning look.

Sansa was surprisingly touched by the gesture, but then again had a few stern words for herself.

_Of course, he could be kind. What, did you expect him to be rude and unpleasant? Judging people based on appearances, shame on you Sansa Stark. The pretty ones could be just as cruel and unpleasant and you know that._

Out loud though she thanked him politely before carefully starting to eat. 

“I have to clean the barn out for a load of feed arriving tomorrow, so I’ll probably be busy with that today,” he mentioned as he grabbed himself a serving of the food.

“Oh, I can surely help with that?” Sansa started wondering if she would have to go and change out of her current clothes in order to help with the cleaning out of a barn when he replied.

“No. No need. I said you could use today to adjust and settle in and I meant it. You’ll be wanting a break soon enough once you start working for real.”

Sansa had to stop herself from frowning. Did he mean she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the busy and demanding schedule of the ranch? Did he think she would crack under the pressure?

_You’re overthinking. Mother always said you read way too much into people’s words. It’s fine._

“Uh, okay sure, thanks. I suppose I can call home and check in with everyone. I only sent a text last night. My mom is probably dying of curiosity.”

Even though Sansa was only about halfway through her plate, he was finishing his and getting up. He placed the plate in the sink and walked past her into his room without a word. It was only after his door clicked shut that Sansa continued munching on the toast.

_Okay, that could count as rude. Weird at the least._

She was just finishing up when she heard the water of his shower running. Collecting her plate, Sansa mentally started making a list of things she could do today to get herself in her employer’s good books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too many commas? It's an addiction I swear. 
> 
> Stay safe  
> XOXO


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, people, I had some more free time and I actually spent it productively by writing some more. Yay me!
> 
> I probably sound like a broken record this time around but please, please, please know that I am so very thankful for you. Whether you comment, leave kudos or simply just read, thank you. It makes me feel so loved and appreciated.
> 
> Right, 'nuff said. We jump in with Sansa.

Sansa stood in the living room, her toes wiggling to try and bury themselves in the rug underneath them. It had been a minute or so since Sandor had come out of his room, freshly showered and dressed in jeans and flannel, walking past her and out the door with long and quick strides. He looked like he was escaping something mildly dangerous or was on a _really_ important mission that was of national importance. He did, however, grunt something that sounded like “Bye” or “See you” before vanishing out the door.

The only reasonable explanation she could find for this strange behaviour was that she somehow offended him once again.

_Maybe he was still upset at my staring at his face yesterday. But he had made me breakfast. He couldn’t be mad at me and do that, right?_

The food had been delicious and Sansa had thought it to be a way of saying he forgave her for the little muck up yesterday but now she wasn’t so sure. Maybe his plan was to eat it and leave her the leftovers? That would mean she interrupted him just before he was about to eat the food that was actually meant for himself.

_Great. Now he probably thinks me to be entitled and demanding on top of the fact that he thinks I’ll crack under the pressure._

Glancing around her to try and find a way to prove him wrong, Sansa’s eyes landed on the kitchen.

 _Yes,_ she thought, _I’ll clean and scrub it until it’s cleaner than when he started. That’ll show him._

First things first though, she had promised to Skype with her family. Fetching her phone on the nightstand beside her bed, Sansa quickly sent a text to her mother asking if she was available for a call. Almost immediately her reply came, letting Sansa know that of course she had the time and was available for a call from her darling girl.

Laughing, Sansa sat down on her bed and continued by making herself comfortable on the centre with her pillows scrunched and stacked for maximum comfort. Once she was pleased with her setup, she rang her mum.

When the call connected, Sansa saw only her mother’s profile picture, which was the one she helped her take and upload when setting up her Skype account all those years ago.

“Mum?”

“Sansa love! It's so good to see you my darling. How are you? Did you get a good night’s sleep in? When do you start working? How’s the boss treating you? Have you seen the horses yet? Oh, tell me everything sweetheart.”

Sansa smiled. This wasn’t going to be an easy task.

“Oh, everything is lovely, mum. I’m very happy with my room and I did get a good amount of sleep in. Before I go into detail, though, could you make sure your camera's on? I can’t see you.”

“Why can’t you see me? I can see you perfectly. You look so beautiful with your hair tied up like that.”

“Thank you, mum. Check at the bottom of your screen to make sure the camera icon is clicked on.”

“Sansa there isn’t anything on the bottom of my screen, love. It’s just your video.”

“Mum tap the screen once. Did you do it? Now there’s supposed to be a microphone icon and a video camera icon. Tap the video camera icon.”

Suddenly her mother’s image was visible on Sansa’s screen. Her mum was frowning at her phone with her reading glasses on her nose.

“There we go! I can see you now, mum.”

Her mother’s face lit up.

“You can see me? Great! Now Sansa, tell me everything. Start from when you got on the plane.”

And so Sansa spent the next hour and a half talking to her mother, assuring her that everything was perfectly fine. She also got a chance to talk with Bran for a few minutes. Arya had given Rickon a lift to one of his friends’ house and her father was still at work, so Sansa asked Bran to give them her love.

After the call ended, Sansa sat cross-legged with her elbows on her knees and quietly processed all that was said. Even though Sansa had seen her family just a day (or was it two? The whole flying back in time thing was a bit hard for her to wrap her head around) ago, it felt like she hadn’t been around them for weeks.

Her mother looked to be handling her departure well and Sansa felt just a little bitter about it. It wasn’t like she wanted her mother to be sad, but Catelyn Stark had been down and depressed for _days_ when Robb moved out.

Getting up with a sigh, Sansa was about to go do the kitchen when she thought to probably start her cleaning journey in her room. And so she started making her bed and then make sure her closet doors were closed before fishing out her Bluetooth speaker from her bag and heading to the kitchen.

_I’m going to do this and do it well. He better not get too used to it though, I’m not here to clean his kitchen for him._

It was then when Sansa reluctantly realized that she lived here too and that cleaning up after herself and yes, him too sometimes, was not only part of her job but also part of being a decent human being.

After connecting her phone to the speaker, she placed both on the island before selecting her feel-good playlist. As Justin Timberlake’s [Can’t Stop the Feeling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru0K8uYEZWw) starts playing, Sansa starts her task by sorting the dishes, cups and cutlery.

Before long she’s singing, dancing and cleaning all while thoroughly enjoying herself.

***

Brushing away an annoying drop of sweat from his brow, Sandor took a look at the progress he made throughout the course of the morning. Things have gone much quicker than he would’ve thought. He finished clearing away the bales that were in the way so all that was left to do with this task was to sweep away the stray bits of hay and dust on the cement floor of the barn.

He went and got the old straw broom from the tool shed next to the barn and started methodically sweeping the floor space. As he swept the floor he tried to not think about the morning’s incident too much.

 _A normal person probably wouldn’t even consider the morning’s events to even have contained an incident,_ Sandor grunted to himself.

He couldn’t say what brought out the flight reaction in him earlier that morning but what he did in fact know was that he didn’t like what she was making him feel when she sat there and happily discussed her plans for the day and he knew he had to get out immediately.

After escaping her, he took a shower and it served as a well enough wake-up call. He dressed and practically fled the home before she could realize the effect her presence was having on him. While he was feeding the horses she was on his mind for most of the time. It bothered him, so when he started on his task of clearing away the bales he threw himself into his work. It probably explained why things have gone so much quicker this morning.

_You’re fine, Clegane. It’s just because she’s new and will need some getting used to. It’s the same when you introduce a new horse in the yard._

At that Sandor burst out laughing.

_Comparing yourself to a fucking horse, you really have lost it, haven’t you?_

Finishing his task, Sandor walked over to his truck to check the time. It was past time for lunch and even though he had a hearty breakfast he could definitely appreciate some lunch.

The farmhouse was about 250 yards from the barn if you took a little footpath that cuts through the paddock. Not wanting to take the long way by driving, Sandor grabbed his phone from his truck and started walking.

As he made his way toward the house he started preparing himself. He wasn’t going to act like some inexperienced boy who has never been around a woman that beautiful before. Well, he hadn’t ever been around a woman as beautiful as her but that was beside the point.

Nothing, _nothing,_ could have prepared him for what he witnessed as soon as he stepped foot in the house, though.

There she was, in his kitchen. Some of her auburn locks were starting to fall out of her ponytail. She appeared to have been doing the dishes. The most striking thing about the image presented to him was that she was singing and dancing her heart out to [Everybody Wants To Rule The World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFU1GeGFpzY). It became clear to Sandor that she hadn’t heard him coming because he didn’t drive here. The second thing he realized as she was wiggling her hips to the music while drying out a glass was that she still wasn’t aware of his arrival.

Sandor couldn’t bring himself to speak up or alert her of his presence. It was too captivating, everything about her. The way she pinched those blue eyes shut like she was transferring herself into the music, or how her foot tapped to the beat, or how she was absolutely belting out the lyrics as if she had never agreed with anything more in her life. Never before in his life had he wanted so desperately wanted to join in with dancing and just simply being happy.

She must’ve felt a change in her atmosphere, though, because she suddenly opened her eyes which then immediately widened with shock.

Then all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is that what one considers to be a cliff hanger? Probably a terrible attempt at one but I couldn't help myself lol.
> 
> Feedback? I try to respond to it all, even if it's just to say thank you. <3  
> XOXO


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there!
> 
> The fic hit 2000 hits this week and I couldn't be more thankful. Thank you to everyone reading this, I love and appreciate you to bits.
> 
> My life has gotten a bit more steady and a routine has taken form. I believe this will allow for scheduled updates but I also don't wanna jinx it.

_Oh shit_

He stood frozen as he saw the glass she was drying slip out of her hands and began plummeting towards the kitchen floor. To Sandor, it felt as if though everything was suddenly happening in slow motion. As it hit the ground, the sound of glass shattering rose above the tunes still playing from the speaker on the counter.

The next thing he registered was a yelp of pain that came from Sansa, who was still clearly in shock of seeing him standing there all of a sudden. Tearing his eyes away from her wide ones, Sandor looked down at her feet to try and find the cause of the cry.

What he found was a little streak of blood running down her left foot. She must’ve looked down to try and find what he was looking at and then noticed her injury because she gasped and took a step back. Only this time she released more of a screech when she stepped on another piece of glass.

Sandor sprang into action.

“Stay right where you are! Don’t move. The floor’s littered with glass.”

Content with himself for not removing his shoes yet, Sandor walked over to Sansa carefully. For some reason, his instinct was to approach her slowly with open palms, much as he did with a spooked horse.

As he got closer, the glass crunched underneath his boots with every step. The crunching seemed to make her flinch, which in turn caused her to wobble since she was balancing on her right foot. His large hands were on her slender waist in an instant as he helped her steady and regain her balance.

As soon as she was stable enough, Sandor lifted her effortlessly and placed her on the kitchen island. Gently taking her left foot into his hands for examination, he found that there weren’t any pieces of glass still in her foot. She just seemed to be bleeding quite a lot.

Standing up straight once more, Sandor found that Sansa has been observing him intently. Though this time she doesn’t flinch or shies away as he stares back. No, this time she just quietly asks, “How bad is it?” and Sandor wants to burst out laughing at the graveness in her voice but he keeps himself in check and instead simply replies, “No real damage. I can’t see any pieces still left in there so I think you’re clear.”

With relief washing over her face, Sansa made to get off the island before Sandor put his hand on her shoulder to stop her from doing so.

“No sit still. I’ll go get some Band-Aids. Otherwise, you’ll be bleeding all over the floor. Besides, the floor’s still a minefield, I’ll sweep it up after you’re taken care of.”

She began to protest or maybe she was trying to apologize. Whatever she wanted to do, she was cut off pretty quickly by Sandor leaving her there on the counter and headed to his bathroom to get what he needed.

Rummaging through his bathroom cabinet, Sandor noticed his hands shaking slightly. Being that close to her and touching her dainty feet had left him somewhat shaken it seemed. She had felt so delicate underneath his hands when he lifted her to the island. And the way she was watching him while he inspected her feet, it was enough to make him want to pull her against him and run away as far as he could at the same bloody time.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Sandor decided it was time for one of those pep talks he always saw in the movies.

_Right, Clegane. You pull your ass together right this moment and go help that girl on your counter. Fuck, she’s on my counter. Her long legs crossed- No, stop that thought right there. You’re not helping anyone with that mentality. Now grab those Band-Aids, march your ass out there, and help the poor girl._

He found her sitting patiently, staring at the floor. She had turned her music off and was looking truly embarrassed. It seems that her few moments alone had given her time to recollect herself because as soon as she saw him she began to ramble.

“I’m so sorry, Mr Clegane. I don’t know why I got such a fright. I’ll clean this up and I’ll be sure to buy you a new set of glasses when we’re back in town. I really am truly sorry.”

She ended her frantic apologies by looking down, almost bracing herself for whatever his reply could be. Sandor’s heart softened at the sight. He didn’t have it in him to tell her the glass was one Margaery brought back from one of her many travels overseas.

“It’s alright. I’m sorry for sneaking up on you, I promise it wasn’t intentional. There’s no need to worry about the glasses either, that one was the last of an old set. I need to buy new ones anyway.”

He approached her, shaking the box of band-aids.

“Now let’s patch you up and then I’ll sweep the mess away. Have you had lunch yet?” She shook her head. “Right, then we’ll make some Sunday sandwiches for lunch.” He took her injured foot in his hand once more and a shiver ran through her.

_Probably horrified at the sight of your paw handling her._

He swallowed the bitterness away as he started patching the two places she was cut. After finishing, he let her foot go gently and gave her a pat on the leg before turning away to get the broom. She watched him in silence as he swept for the second time that day.

Sandor kept quiet as well. He didn’t really know what to say to her anyway. He was thinking something along the lines of it’s a hard knock life when she broke the silence with a question.

“Sunday sandwiches?”

“Uhm yeah, it’s something my mom used to make. Just a slice of bread with tomato and cheese on an oven sheet and then you bake, or toast I suppose, it in the oven for a few minutes. She always called it Sunday afternoon sandwiches. I never thought to call it anything else.”

He finished his sweeping and helped her off the counter. He kept his hands on her waist to help her steady herself. She looked up at him and nodded to let him know she was okay and he let go.

She carefully walked around the island at took a seat. She sat watching him as he started preparing the sandwiches. He grew uncomfortable under her watchful gaze so he started to desperately try and come up with some conversation.

“You wanna go meet the horses later?”

***

Sunday sandwiches, it turned out, were actually delicious. After happily munching away in comfortable silence, Sansa excused herself to go get her shoes before they left to see the horses.

Sansa had put her trusted navy wellies at the foot of her bed. She had bought them when she was certain her feet had stopped growing in high school and they have been her go-to footwear for around the horses ever since. Yes, she did have her proper riding boots from when she did eventing, but when there was no need for formal footwear, her wellies were out.

Sitting down, slipped her feet in and she took a moment to savour the familiar feeling and was for a moment transported back home, about to take Lady out for a hack. Sighing, she got up and went to find Sandor.

She found him in the kitchen, gulping down a glass of water. Ignoring the distracting way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, Sansa made her way to the door and waited for him there. Her foot was a bit sensitive, but the prospect of meeting horses was enough for her to ignore the slight discomfort.

Putting his glass in the sink, Sandor turned towards her. “You ready to head on out?” Sansa simply nodded. There was, like always when she was about to get to know a new horse, a little amount of doubt in the back of her head. What if the horses couldn’t stand her? Maybe she wasn’t as good with them as she thought and all the horses she’s worked with just happened to be easy?

_No_ , she thought, _remember Samson._

Samson was a Thoroughbred at the shelter where she volunteered sometimes. He had been terribly mistreated as a foal and mistrusted humans greatly. It had taken her and some of the people at the shelter months and months to earn his trust but they did. Whenever Sansa felt any amount of self-doubt concerning horses, she thought about Samson.

Walking out the door and behind the house through the field along a little footpath that leads to the barn and stable, Sansa asked Sandor about the horses.

“Well at the moment we have five. It’s been just me for the last few months since Renly, the guy who used to help around here, got married. I wanted to make sure to give each horse enough attention and care while still having the farm to tend to. I’ll be able to focus on that more again now that you’re here.”

He glanced down at her before continuing.

“The way things mainly work here is we take in the troubled guys and give them a chance to recover before finding them homes and owners who are right for them. The horses alone rarely offer profit and so we farm sunflowers to make a bit of extra bank. While sunflowers aren’t native to Wyoming, the conditions are perfect for growing them and they are relatively easy crops to grow. We also grow our own Timothy hay to feed the horses from. The delivery coming in tomorrow is just some feed with extra calories to help some of the underweight horses get back on track.”

Next to the barn stood what looked to be a twelve stall stable where they came to a standstill. From what Sansa could see though, there weren’t any horses in them. She turned toward him with a questioning look.

He seemed to understand her confusion.

“I let them graze freely in the paddock over weekends when I’m not working with them and the weather isn’t bad. We have 3 paddocks and then we have much larger fields that could be used for grazing as well. It helps to have enough space to separate them when needed. Okay, you ready to meet them?”

He looked at her as if to genuinely make sure she was okay and prepared.

_Ready as I’ll ever be,_ she thought nervously but out loud she simply said, “Yes, let’s meet them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys want Sandor to be more grumpy? If there are any other changes you'd want me to consider drop them in the comments.
> 
> As always, please don't feel bad to correct me or to tell me to hurry tf up. It's quite motivating actually.
> 
> I'm always open for a chat, whether it's in the comments or on my Tumblr, I love hearing from you.
> 
> Stay safe and stay awesome  
> XOXO


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you're all doing well and feeling good. If not, have some SanSan! 
> 
> Looks like Sundays are going to be my uploading days. I'll try to keep it that way to offer stability. 
> 
> Thanks for tuning back in, hope you'll enjoy meeting the horses!

“We’ll start with the trio and Goliath.”

That was all Sandor had said before walking and disappearing around the corner of the stables. Sansa followed, excitement causing her stomach to flutter. What she found when she walked around the corner herself was a paddock with four horses.

One was a simply gigantic steel grey and the other three were more normal-sized who were three different shades of brown but looked like ponies so close to the giant of a horse.

Sansa stood and admired them for a while before turning to Sandor, knowing he’d probably have something to say about them. He did. Gesturing to the large horse calmly grazing close by he started his explaining.

“The big one, as you’ve probably guessed, is Goliath. He was found in an abandoned barn in really bad shape. His hooves were overgrown and he was practically just a skeleton wasting away there. We suspect he was used for farm work before he was abandoned. A real gentle giant too. He’s improved so much since he got here and I actually started riding him about a month ago.”

Sansa’s heart bled for the poor giant. _To have been left just like that after all the hard work he’s done. And to still be so gentle. We don’t deserve them._

After taking a moment to appreciate the sheer size of him once more, she turned to look at the other three grazing close to each other nearby.

“That’s Rum, Bourbon and Whiskey.”

Sansa giggled at their names and turned to Sandor for an explanation. Shrugging, he simply stated, “Their coat colours.”

Nodding, Sansa asked him what breed they were.

“They’re horses, mom was a horse and dad was a horse. That’s the only certain thing about those three. Some guy found them feasting on his crops. No idea where they came from, people had put up ads to find the owner but nobody was looking for them. I’m glad you’re here though, I haven’t been able to ride them. Too big for their poor backs.”

Sansa was overcome with a giddy sort of feeling upon hearing him say that he was glad she was there. Out loud, though, she simply asked after the fifth horse.

“That would be Stranger. A real piece of work that one, but he’s had a hard go of it. He doesn’t get along with other the horses so I keep him in a separate paddock.” He motioned for her to follow him so she did.

 _Poor guy if he has to be kept alone._ Horses are social animals. Being social in a herd was part of who they were.

Walking around the stable to the paddock behind it Sansa’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the horse standing in the far corner. He was a pitch-black stallion and he was quite large, not Goliath large, but still a fairly big horse. He was beautiful.

“What happened to him?”

“He was supposed to be a show horse of some sort. Got in an ugly crash and I suppose he lost his nerve. I was a fucking struggle getting him here, I’ll tell you that. Really mistrusting of everyone and everything. Got on him once but he threw me. Far. Landed hard on my ass in the dust.” He huffed what Sansa guess to be half a laugh.

“It was back to square one after that, but we’re on relatively good terms, him and me. He lets me touch him so I come and give him a brush down whenever possible.”

Sansa could hear the affection he had for this horse in his voice and the way he spoke about him. He wasn’t just another horse that needed fixing before it left again.

“He’s lucky to have someone like you who doesn’t give up on him.” Sansa’s words and voice sounded pathetic in her ears. Sandor just grunted and left.

Hanging back, Sansa leant on the railings and looked at the stallion who was watching her with uncertain eyes. _He would’ve been successful as a show horse, that’s for certain. He really is beautiful._

“Stranger,” she tasted the name. It suited him. When Sandor had talked about Stranger, his respect and admiration for the horse was evident. She wished she could see them interact. _You’ll probably get a chance. Have patience._

“You gonna stand there the rest of the evening or do you want to see the rest?”

Sansa turned to find him waiting, arms crossed across his chest. She simply nodded and followed him. He showed her the stables, empty paddocks and the riding ring all in relative silence. Sansa started to think back on all that happened that afternoon.

She had wanted to die of embarrassment when he had walked in on her dancing and singing in his kitchen. _I already know it’s going to be one of those memories that’ll keep on bothering me when I’m trying to sleep._

There hadn’t been much time to dwell on her embarrassment after she found she was bleeding. Not that it was too painful, Sansa had experienced much more painful things than stepping on glass. No, the thing that took up most of her attention was the way her boss sprang into medic mode and took care of her immediately.

Sansa had sensed his discomfort at being so close to her and she had felt the same. He was an intimidating figure even without his scars and having him carefully patch her up was more than confusing for Sansa.

Now, as she trailed after him back to the house she reflected, not for the first time, what a strange and interesting character her employer made.

***

Showing her the horses had not been a complete disaster, and for that Sandor was thankful. She kept quiet as he explained as much as he dared about the horses and didn’t talk much in between either.

When he had shown her Stranger she had made some comment about how lucky the horse was to have Sandor. It was safe to say that he didn’t exactly know how to respond to something that sounded so much like a compliment. So he left the situation at that.

They had walked back to the house in silence. It had been somewhat uncomfortable but Sandor found he couldn’t bring himself to make conversation.

After they got back, she disappeared back into her room. Sandor was about to sit down to watch some TV when his phone rang. He went and took the call outside, knowing that walking around in his yard would help calm the jittery feeling he’s had in his stomach ever since he got back.

He accepted the call and brought it up to his ear.

“ _Clegane! How’ve you been ol’ dog?!”_

Sandor rolled his eyes.

“Bronn. What do you want?”

“ _Now that doesn’t sound like a man who’s enjoying his female company. What goin’ on over there, buddy?”_

“Nothing is going on, Blackwater. What the fuck could be going on? She’s only been here a day.”

The laughter bubbling through the phone made Sandor want to hurl the damn thing into the bushes.

“ _So what I’m hearing is that the reason you’re sounding like a bear with a wasps nest up his ass is that nothing’s happened.”_

“THAT’S NOT-“

_“Calm the fuck down, Clegane, I’m just messin’ with ya. Marge instructed me to check in regularly and to visit often. You would think with her being all the fucking way in Asia that she’d trust me to take care of everything. But no, apparently not. So I’m calling to let you know I’ll be dropping by for a beer sometime tomorrow.”_

Sandor sighed. Having Bronn over and around Sansa wasn’t ideal but Sandor knew that if he tried denying his friend, Bronn would stop at nothing to come and bother him on purpose. He might as well use the opportunity to his benefit.

“Yes fine. I have some feed being delivered sometime tomorrow morning, you can show up after that. Could you bring Quincy? I think Stranger could benefit from a visit?”

_“Yeah man, I’ll bring him along. So is there anything you’d like to tell me about the girl living with you? Or should I just make all my observations tomorrow before reporting to Marge?”_

“There’s nothing to fucking tell. She arrived yesterday, she spent the day adjusting and I’ve shown her the horses. She starts working tomorrow. What else could there possibly be? There’s nothing other than professionalism here.”

“ _Hmph. I’ll come and be the judge of that. Right, man. I’ll leave you to go back to the lovely lady.”_

Sandor grunted his goodbye before ending the call. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Walking back into his house he found Sansa putting a plate in the sink.

“I just made myself a sandwich, I hope that’s okay? Wanted to have a quick bite to eat before I head off to bed.”

Sandor immediately felt bad. The poor girl was scared to have made herself some food.

“This is your house now, you can make yourself anything you want. You might still be young, but you’re an adult. I’m not going to treat you like a child by having all these rules and regulations in place. Do what you want. We’ll discuss your tasks tomorrow so you can start earning your keep. Have a good night.”

He was halfway to his room and cursing himself for being so short and unpleasant with her once again when he heard her quiet reply.

“Night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, whaddya think? How do we feel? Please feel free to let loose and give whatever feedback you please. 
> 
> If you have any suggestions as well, go on ahead and comment or message me over Tumblr. 
> 
> I love you all to bits!  
> XOXO


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Sunday so here's another update! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

The morning had gone by without any major fuck-ups and that, to Sandor, was a victory. He had just finished putting the girl to work when the feed had arrived. They had spent the better part of the morning unloading the truck and stacking the feed in the barn.

By noon, the load was handled and the delivery men on their merry way.

He hadn’t seen much of Sansa after he had shown her what to do. Sandor took that as a sign that she was coming along alright. He had put up a whiteboard in the stables to write her schedule on the day before she arrived so there was never any confusion when it came to what needed to be done.

Standing outside the stables, he could hear her happily chatting away at Goliath while she brushed him down. From what he could tell, the one-sided conversation was about what a big beautiful boy Goliath was.

Sandor shook his head and quickly got a halter with a lead rope before grabbing a small bucket and scooped some pellets into it. He made his way to Stranger’s paddock. He wanted him in the camp closer to the house before Bronn arrived but he also didn’t want the girl to get hurt struggling with the horse on her first working day.

Sandor tucked the halter and rope in the back of his jeans. After making sure they wouldn’t be visible from the front, he readied his bucket and entered the paddock. Stranger was immediately aware of him but continued grazing. Sandor knew this by the way the horse’s ears pricked up and continued to flick his way.

He shook the bucket, letting the pellets rattle loudly. Stranger stopped his munching and faced Sandor, clearly debating if it was worth it. Sandor shook the bucket again.

“Yes, come on, you big beast. You’ll enjoy this. I promise.”

He slowly started making his way to the great black horse while whistling low, soothing notes. Stranger didn’t come any closer, but he didn’t start fleeing so Sandor saw that as a positive.

“Come now, Quincy’s going to be there. Yes, you’ll see your little friend. Come on now, boy.”

He was getting closer to being within reach. Sandor stopped and held the bucket out. Stranger extended his neck to try and get into the bucket without moving, but Sandor pulled it closer to his body.

“Ah, no. You’ve got to at least take a few steps toward me, buddy. I can’t be the one doing all the work in this transaction of ours.”

The horse looked at him for a minute. It felt to Sandor like the strangest game of chicken. Before long, though, Stranger gave in and moved closer to the man. He let Sandor touch and pet him while he munched on the pellets.

Sandor carefully rubbed around the horse’s head to get him used to the sensation before slipping on the halter. Stranger accepted it without much of a fuss. Sandor chuckled lightly.

“I thank you for your cooperation.”

He started to walk back towards the gate, lead rope in hand, but the horse made no move to go in that direction. Sandor tugged lightly on the rope and clicked a few times.

“No, none of that now.” He clicked again. “Walk on.”

Stranger started walking alongside Sandor, almost lazily. They went through the gate and made their way in the direction of the camp close to the house. Sandor muttered praises and encouragements all the way. The horse was in a good mood and he wanted to keep it that way.

After releasing him in the camp, Sandor hung the lead rope over the railing. He was about to go find the girl when he heard the rumbling of a V8 engine. He turned to see Bronn’s smug face behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Silverado as he drove closer before finally parking next to the little camp. Stranger snorted and trotted away from the noise to go stand the furthest away from the truck as possible.

The driver’s door swung open and Bronn hopped out with a shit-eating grin that had mischief written all over it. He sauntered over to where Sandor was stood.

“There he is! How you doin’ old dog? Fucking good I hope.”

He looked around and continued his chortling before Sandor could even reply.

“So? Where is she? The fair lady you’re hiding.”

Sandor grumbled before continuing through clenched teeth. The man had scarcely been here for two minutes before getting on his nerves.

“I never fucking said she was fair, Blackwater. And you better fucking stop with this shit of yours before she gets here. I don’t have the time or patience for your insolence today.”

If Sandor had hoped to intimidate Bronn into being more pleasant and bearable with his words, he had failed. The shorter man just laughed heartily before talking again in his usual cocky manner.

“My man, you have nothing but time on this little patch of heaven you call a farm. As for patience,” he pointed to Stranger, still far in the opposite corner, “well you wouldn’t be working with these beasts for a living if you didn’t have any patience.”

He laughed again and Sandor was tempted to throttle him until he was blue in the face. He couldn’t, however, continue to contemplate the best course of action to take because suddenly Bronn stopped laughing. He was looking at something behind him and Sandor had a nasty feeling he knew what it was Bronn was gawking at.

This suspicion was confirmed when Bronn mutters softly enough so only Sandor could hear, “You fucking lucky bastard.”

***

Sansa was busy putting away the brushes she used on Goliath when she heard the rumbling of a truck. She figured Sandor had need of his with his work in the barn, so she had not thought much about it and continued with her task.

It wasn’t until she took Goliath back out when she heard a cheerful laugh that she turned to see Sandor standing with a man at the smaller paddock near the house. She gave the gigantic horse a scratch behind his ear and a pat on the shoulder before letting him go and turning her attention back to the two men.

Sandor was standing with folded arms, glaring down at the shorter man. The man didn’t seem worried, though. He joked and laughed all the while. That was until he noticed her standing there. His expression fell and he said something to Sandor, who’s back immediately tensed up. Sansa swallowed and made her way over to her boss and the strange cheerful man.

Sandor turned to see her approaching. She suddenly became aware of how she looked. She was dusty and her hair was sweaty with wisps of the auburn mess coming out of her ponytail. Her jeans were tucked into her trusty wellies that caused the gravel to crunch underfoot.

She practised her greeting over and over as she got closer. _Hi, I’m Sansa Stark. I work here. No, that sounds weird, try again. Hi, I’m Sansa. Yes. Simple and easy. Hi, I’m Sansa. Hi, I’m Sansa. Hi,-_

She didn’t get the chance to recite her greeting because the man had beat her to it.

“Well hello there! What’s a fine lady like you doing working for a beastly fella like him? The names Blackwater, Bronn Blackwater.”

He flashed her a cheeky smile and held out his hand. She took it, planning to shake it in a friendly manner but Bronn had other ideas. He raised her hand to his lips and placed a feather-light kiss on the back of it, all while maintaining eye contact. He let her go and his eyes quickly darted over to Sandor, devils dancing in them.

Sandor studied her as if to see what her response to the flirty greeting would be. Sansa panicked and her brain went into autopilot.

“Hi, I’m Sansa.”

Bronn smirked.

“Oh, I know, dear. We’ve heard all about you.”

He turned to Sandor with a look that dared him to challenge the statement he made. Sandor unfolded his arms and placed his hands on his hips.

“Where’s Quincy, Blackwater? We haven’t got all bloody day.”

Bronn laughed and started walking back to his truck. It seemed to Sansa that laughing was something that went hand in hand with Bronn Blackwater.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch Sand-man, he’s chilling in the back.”

Sansa noticed the back door of the truck’s windows were rolled halfway down. Bronn opened the back door with a _Come on, little buddy, your company awaits,_ and he helped out the cutest thing Sansa had seen in a while.

Quincy, it turned out, was a spotted miniature horse with a nice, fluffy mane. The little horse noticed Stranger standing in the far corner and neighed a high pitched greeting. The large black horse’s reply was a deeper sound but he sounded just as pleased.

Bronn handed over Quincy’s lead to Sandor, who went on to release the little horse into the paddock. The two horses made a comical spectacle as they met halfway in the middle of the field, prancing about. Stranger was like a completely different horse. After sniffing at each other for a while they continued by grazing happily close to each other.

Sansa turned to look at Sandor. The expression on his face wasn’t what she’d call a smile but it wasn’t his usual scowl either. It was a pleased look. He noticed her looking at him and assumed she’d like an explanation. He was right.

“I don’t know why they get along. We think it’s because he doesn’t find Quincy as intimidating as other horses.”

Sansa hummed and nodded her head in understanding.

“Or maybe it’s because Quincy is simply good horse-company and all the other horses you have are dicks,” Bronn suggested as he came to stand close by. “Either way, these two are the best of friends so I was more than happy to oblige when the Sand-man suggested a play-date.”

Sandor sighed deeply and shook his head. It was clear he was trying his best to stay calm. Bronn, again, simply laughed before he continued, “As much as I enjoy watching two horses just stand and eat some fucking grass, my tongue is dry enough for a fly to leave tracks on it. I believe I was promised a beer?” He looked at Sandor with his eyebrows raised expectantly.

With a last look at the horses, Sandor pushed himself away from the railing and set off towards the house with an easy-going pace. “Fuck’s sake, fine. Let’s go get a beer, but do me a favor and calm the fuck down.”

Bronn gave a shrug before moseying alongside Sandor as they went. “I’m not entirely sure what you’re suggesting, pal. I’m just being my same-old self.” Sandor’s reply was a snort.

Sansa stayed behind, not sure if she was part of the invitation to go get a beer. To avoid any awkwardness, she stayed behind and watched the horses.

“You coming or not?”

Sandor had stopped and was looking at her, waiting for an answer. Bronn was behind him, looking at Sandor with a very smug look on his sly face. Sansa’s only reply was a surprised “Oh” before coming along, her heart a little lighter than before.

They stepped into the house and removed their shoes, not without Bronn laughing at her wellies and Sandor trying very hard to keep a straight face. Sandor got an ice-cold beer from the fridge for each one of them and Bronn suggested they go sit out on the porch since it was such a lovely late afternoon and was sure to be a pleasant evening.

They had just gotten comfortable when Bronn complained that Sandor was a terrible host. “Letting your guest die of hunger, shame on you. Go on now, you big fuck. Some snacks would be welcome.” Sandor looked uncomfortable for a second, at what Sansa wasn’t sure. But after a moment he got up and walked back into the house, muttering something about ungrateful and unpleasant fucking guests.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Bronn turned his attention back to Sansa, studying her. She quickly grew uneasy underneath his observing gaze. His black eyes didn’t miss anything, or at least it felt like they didn’t. He nodded his head toward the door.

“He’s a grouchy fuck but he’s a good chap underneath it all. You caught feelings for him yet?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love me some good ol' Bron-banter. 
> 
> Okay so what do you guys think? Some things that need improvement? Let a girl know.
> 
> I live for your comments and feedback.
> 
> Have a good one!  
> XOXOXO


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update! Yay!

To Sansa, the world had stopped spinning and was tumbling out of control at the same time.

“I’m sorry?”

She was convinced she heard wrong, or maybe she misunderstood him. There was no way he was saying what she thought she heard.

Bronn gave a snort and repeated his words slowly and clearly.

“I asked if you caught feelings for him yet.”

Sansa was shaken. Yes, she might’ve had a little attraction towards him but surely that was only because it’s been a while since she’s been around a man that wasn’t family. Could her minor crush be that evident on her face? Did Bronn’s beady black eyes pick up on something?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. That’s highly unprofessional.”

Sansa sniffed and took a sip from her beer. While she disliked the mustiness of the taste, she wasn’t about to let the men believe that she couldn’t handle it. Bronn looked at her, undisturbed.

“So what I’m hearing is that if he weren’t your boss, you’d be all over him by now.”

Sansa felt her ears heat up.

“What? No, I-”

Her reply was cut short by Sandor returning with a few bags of chips tucked under his arm, and Sansa couldn’t have been happier about it.

Bronn leaned back in his seat and quickly started to complain at Sandor.

“What? No bowls? You let your guest eat straight out of the bags like some… ruffian?”

Sandor tossed him a bag and put the other two on the small table between them.

“You’re not some high-end guest, Blackwater. I’m not dirtying more bowls because you don’t want to eat straight out of the bag all of a sudden.”

Sansa saw his gaze flick to her for a fraction of a second when mentioning the dishes and tried to not think about yesterday’s incident. It wouldn’t do for her to blush, Bronn would surely pick up on that. Deciding it would be best to talk about other things, Sansa changed the topic.

“So, Bronn, how long have you had Quincy?”

She had wanted to ask him how long he had known Sandor but somehow felt uncomfortable asking a question about the man when she had just been confronted about having feelings for him. Quincy was the next best thing.

Bronn took a hand full of chips before answering.

“Oh, Quincy isn’t mine. The little guzzler is just living with me until his mom comes back from her travels. Whenever the fuck that may be.”

Sandor opened a bag of chips before offering her some. After she took a handful, he kept the bag on his lap before talking to Bronn.

“Has she extended her trip again?”

Bronn scratched his head and folded his arms.

“Yeah, but you know how she gets. Found another school or orphanage that needs help rebuilding and so she stays. She might come back to visit for a few weeks before heading back, so we’re looking forward to that.”

Bronn looked over to Sansa who was listening with interest. She was curious to know who this woman was who was helping by building schools and who owned a miniature horse. More importantly, she wanted to know what woman could bring a far-off, sombre look to the usually cheery and amused eyes of the funny man across from her.

Sansa could visibly see how he pulled himself together as if he was reminded of who he is and what his purpose was.

“Man, I can’t wait for Marge to come over. She’ll absolutely love you. I’m sure she was the one who convinced this guy here to get some help over here. Am I wrong, big fella?”

Both Bronn and Sansa turned to look at Sandor and she could see him grow uneasy beneath their inquiring looks so she made an effort to soften her gaze. Sandor cleared his throat and ate the last of the chips in his hand before answering.

“Uh, yes. She was the one who came and help post the ads. Heaven knows I wouldn’t have been able to do it. She uh, she was the one who suggested I hire you. Said your experience would make the distance travelled worth it.”

He didn’t look her in the eye, then. He was staring at his hand, apparently finding something very interesting about it, before stopping his fiddling and taking more chips out of the bag. He offered her the bag once more and she took it.

“Well, I’d be happy to meet her as well. I think I should thank her for causing my employment in person.”

She smiled and dug around in the bag for some more of the cheesy chips, but on the inside, there was a slight feeling of disappointment knowing now that he wasn’t the one who chose her. _He didn’t choose me and now he’s stuck sharing his house with me._

Feeling her smile starting to slip, Sansa got up and started making her way to the front door.

“Where you running off to?”

Sandor was looking at her, brows a little furrowed. Sansa cursed herself for not making her exit more natural.

“Well if you must know, I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute.”

She flashed him the most normal smile she could muster and disappeared into the house. She finally let herself breathe once the bathroom door was closed behind her.

_I don’t know why you’re reacting like this. Calm down. Breathe. So what if he didn’t choose you? All you’ve got to do now is make sure he doesn’t regret hiring you. Easy peasy._

She rinsed her face with cold water before drying it and staring at herself in the mirror.

_You’ve got this._

***

The girl had barely retreated into the house before Bronn started his yapping like the lunatic he is.

“Oh wow. I mean I’ve said it, but I’ll say it again. You’re one lucky bastard, you know that? How in the fuck will you keep yourself in line with a sight like that walking around here? I mean I’m more of a brunette kinda guy, so she’s relatively safe from me but still… Any man with eyes can appreciate that.”

Sandor felt himself tense at Bronn talking about her like that. Not like he had any right to. She was nothing of him. A deep breath was what needed and a deep breath was what he took.

“I am a grown man, Blackwater and unlike you, I can control myself.”

Satisfied with his answer he looked Bronn straight in the eye with a look that clearly said _I’m done talking about this_ , but Bronn being Bronn just took it in stride and carried on.

“Ah-ha! So you admit there’s a need to control yourself. You want her, don’t you? I mean I don’t blame you. You need to get some, buddy. It’s been long enough.”

Before Sandor could come up with the right words to set the fucker straight, the front door opened and Sansa appeared. She walked past Sandor to get back to her chair on the porch and sat down before grabbing her beer and taking a careful sip. Her look darted between the two of them.

“So, what’d I miss?”

Bronn was quicker to form an answer than Sandor.

“Nothing major, sweetheart. Just discussing some opportunities the Sand-man could take to make life on his little patch of heaven a bit easier and more pleasant.”

Sandor, for once, didn’t mind one of the ridiculous nicknames the fucker had given him. He looked over to the girl to see if she bought the story and found her looking something like relieved.

They spent the rest of the evening talking. Well, Sandor listened, Sansa commented and Bronn monologued. They had gone through multiple beers and numerous bags of chips. The sun had set and Sandor was feeling more than drowsy. He only had to look over at Sansa to know she felt the same.

She looked exhausted, dusty and sore, but to Sandor, she almost looked even more beautiful. His heart did a weird skip and he took that as a sign to start wrapping things up. And by wrapping things up he meant to get rid of fucking Bronn who was yammering on about some time he nearly died in a bar fight.

“Right, Blackwater. Time to go. I can barely keep my fucking eyes open. Let’s go get Quincy and you can be on your merry way.”

He turned to Sansa, who had just stifled a yawn and was now rubbing out her eyes.

“You can go make something to eat if you’d like, I’ll just help him with the horse and then take Stranger back to his paddock.”

She stood up and stretched. Her shirt rode up a little and Sandor looked away. He wasn’t going to torture himself unnecessarily.

“I think the crisps have filled me up. So if you’re sure you don’t need any help I’m going to hop through the shower and into bed. It’s been a long day and I’m sure tomorrow will be the same.”

Sandor nodded and started to make his way to the stairs, Bronn in tow.

“Yes, all good. Have a good night.”

She smiled a tired smile and opened the front door.

“Good night. And good night to you too, Bronn. It was lovely meeting you.”

Bronn, ever the gallant gentleman, bowed and tipped an imaginary hat to her.

“Lovely meeting you too, darlin’. Have a good night.”

She hovered in the door a moment longer before disappearing back inside. Sandor turned and started walking to the camp where the two horses were still enjoying each other’s silent company.

He grabbed both leads hanging over the railing and made his way over to them. Like always when Quincy was around, Stranger was easy to catch and mild to handle. After tying the big black horse to the railing with a quick-release knot, Sandor hooked Quincy and led him to where Bronn was leaning against his truck.

“All I’m trying to prove to you i-”

“No, Bronn. Thanks but I don’t want or need you to prove anything. Nothing is going to or can happen.”

He shoved the rope into his friend’s hands and went to open the back door of the pickup. Bronn sighed and helped Quincy into it. Though not before he neighed his goodbye to his friend and received his reply.

After making sure the little horse was secure and comfortable, Bronn walked over to Sandor to give his hand a shake and his back a pat.

“I know it might be frustrating. But know that I’m rooting for the two of you. I can see that happening, and I’m here for it. So is Marge, probably. We need to go into town and grab a beer or two from the bar sometime.”

Sandor huffed.

“What’s wrong with having a beer or two here? Tonight wasn’t so bad.”

Bronn smiled. A genuine smile, for once.

“It was fun buddy, great fun. But you can’t keep her hidden away on this farm the whole time. She’d lose her mind. And yes, before you even start, I know she’s only been here three days but I’m saying this for future reference. She’s still a young gal and she’d certainly appreciate a change of scenery every now and then.”

He let go of Sandor’s hand and climbed in his Silverado.

“Now I’ll call you soon and I’ll be back for a visit shortly. With Quincy. And hopefully Marge too sometime. You behave yourself and have a good one.”

Sandor grumbled his goodbye and watched his unusual friend drive off before getting Stranger and leading him back to his paddock.

After closing the gate behind them both, Sandor slowly took off the horse’s halter. He rubbed and patted where the halter had been and the horse didn’t move away, so Sandor kept on rubbing and patting him down this strong neck.

While he was combing his fingers through the thick black mane, he started thinking about all that Bronn had said, even though he tried not to. Yes, it was true he was attracted to the girl. _Attracted to the woman. She might be young but she still is a woman._

Of course, he was attracted to her. He had been without proper female company for far too long and the fact that she was drop-dead gorgeous didn’t help things along either. But was that truly where it ended? Pure physical attraction? He couldn’t deny the more he got to know the girl _\- woman, whatever_ \- the more he was drawn in. _Well whatever it is, you need to stick a sock in it._

He massaged Stranger’s shoulder in circles and the horse hung his head and closed his eyes.

“I’m beginning to worry I might be in trouble, boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you guys liked that. If so, drop a comment. If not, drop a comment. I cannot begin to tell you guys what they mean to me. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading, I adore you guys <3!
> 
> Stay safe!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!  
> Sorry this chapter is so late, had two birthdays and a national day celebration last week. Not much time for writing.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it, though!

For the following two weeks, Sandor tried his best to find the balance between being a no-nonsense boss and regular housemate. Some nights they ate dinner together, making light conversation. Others she retreated to her room and he was left feeling almost lonely in her absence.

It was Friday morning and Sandor had just taken his shower. He had thought to ask Sansa if she wanted to go into town sometime over the weekend but he still hadn’t found the words to do so. He figured that the right words would come when the time was right.

_I fucking doubt it, but it’s all you’ve got, Clegane._

Somewhere in the week Bronn had mentioned going into town for a drink the weekend but he had grown suspiciously silent the past few days.

_Probably finally found some new people to harass with his apparent match-making charm. The fucker._

After his elaborate visit, Bronn had regularly sent Sandor texts encouraging him to make a move. He wasn’t at all intimidated by Sandor’s threats to try and keep him shut up. Sandor made sure to delete the texts as soon as he read them. He didn’t need the temptation, plus if anything happened and Sansa got ahold of them, things on the farm could get very awkward, very quickly.

Wanting to go make his usual morning coffee Sandor got up to go to the kitchen. He halted immediately after stepping out of his room, seeing Sansa’s bedroom door wide open. She had gotten used to the early rising part of the routine but she usually appeared after he finished his coffee, always looking stunning in whatever she wore. After having a quick glance into her room, he saw her bed made and curtains pulled open. She was nowhere in sight.

Sandor stood still to listen if any sounds were coming from the bathroom. Nothing. He started walking to the kitchen again, expecting to see her there, with her hair in its messy bun, drinking a large cup of tea. But the kitchen was as clean as it was after she volunteered to clean it last night.

_So where the fuck…?_

Sandor strode over to the front door and yanked it open to see if she was on the porch with her tea. When he again found nothing, he retreated back into the house. As he turned to walk back into the kitchen he noticed the shoe rack. Her “wellies” were missing.

_Okay out to the horses then._

He made his way back to the kitchen and continued his usual morning-routine of making his coffee. The only difference this morning was that he poured it into his stainless steel camping thermos instead.

He quickly hurried back to his room and changed into his trusty denim and flannels. He untied his hair from its sleep messed up bun and combed it through before tying it back into his regular low pony. After rushing back to the front door and pulling on his boots, Sandor wondered if he should bring her some tea but decided against it.

_With my fucking luck, she would’ve already had her tea and will stare at me like I’m some… I don’t know, what do you call a man who carries tea after a woman? A fucking butler? Whatever. The point still is, it’s better to not do that to yourself, dog._

So he just grabbed his mug and started walking towards the stables.

Goliath was leaning over his stable door when he walked in. Sansa was going to work him today so that was why he was stabled. Sansa herself, though, was not in here. After walking around the corner to the trio’s paddock and still not seeing her, it hit Sandor.

_Stranger. That fucking girl better still be in one piece when I find her!_

He jogged over to Stranger’s paddock. The color of auburn shining in the early morning sun was what pulled his attention. She was sitting cross-legged in the center of the field, with Stranger grazing a safe distance away from her. Sandor couldn’t help the sheer amount of relief that washed over him. She was unharmed, Stranger was behaving.

She hadn’t noticed him yet, but he made sure to make some noise while he opened the gate and walking in. He didn’t need her having another shock when she suddenly became aware of him. He knew when she did notice him because she stopped her humming, though she kept looking down, playing with the grass. She made a very innocent, very beautiful image in the early morning sun.

Sandor came to a standstill next to her. His mind was flooding with ways to confront her about disappearing this morning.

_Where the fuck where you? I was worried. You could’ve at least left a note. What he fuck are you doing? Don’t do that again._

But he knew she didn’t do anything wrong. He told her she was an adult in her first week here that he’d treat her like one. Scolding her like she was some child wasn’t doing that. So he stuck to what he knew.

“Morning.”

She looked up and smiled at him. Though she was trying hard to sell it, he could see it wasn’t a genuine one.

“Good morning.”

Her voice was as clear and melodious as the birds chirping around them in the morning air.

_She's a little bird herself._

Deciding to let her explain herself on her own terms, Sandor simply stated the obvious.

“You’re up early.”

He felt like a complete idiot for saying it like that but he really didn’t know how else to go about talking to this girl _–woman-_ about what was bothering her.

She gave a halfhearted laugh.

“Yeah I was tossing and turning around from the early hours, and once the birdies started their singing, I couldn’t lie down anymore. So I decided to come and sit by this boy,” she smiled at Stranger who decided to look up at them at that moment. “He and I still need to get more used to each other.”

_You aren’t the only ones who still need to get used to each other._

“You had breakfast yet?”

He felt like a caveman not being able to form long and complex sentences but it didn’t seem to bother her. Maybe she was already getting used to him not being the talkative type.

She shook her head.

“Didn’t want to go and make so much noise that I might wake you up.”

He didn’t think it possible, but his heart softened even more. This woman was going to be the death of him. He offered her his hand to pull her to her feet.

“Let’s go make some then.”

***

It was midafternoon when Sansa pushed Goliath with her legs and loosened the reins. After trotting for a few strides, the large horse soon found his rhythm and was cantering.

Sansa sat deep into her saddle to fall in with the horse’s smooth rhythm. The thundering of his hooves was louder since he was such a bulky animal.

Lifting her chin and smiling into the wind, Sansa felt free. Up high on the tall horse, riding down the dirt path, with the wind in her hair and face, she felt like she was flying. There truly weren’t many things she enjoyed more than this.

She had formed a bond with Goliath. The massive horse handled like any other and did what she asked of him without fuss. After the morning's work with him, she decided to take him out for a proper leg stretch. They had ridden along the fence of one of the farm’s largest fields.

The barn and stable had started coming into view when the big horse started to huff. His neck and shoulders were gleaming with sweat. Sansa pulled on the reins slightly and Goliath switched back to a walk. He was still unfit and it wouldn’t do for her do overwork him.

As they walked along peacefully back to the stable, Sansa patted the horse on his neck while praising him for a job well done. They came to a standstill outside the large stable doors. Sansa took her feet out of her stirrups, swung her right leg over and slid down the massive horse.

She immediately felt that weird sensation of being too close to the ground after spending so much time up high on his back today. It was the same sort of feeling you got after jumping on a trampoline for a few minutes and getting back to solid ground.

She slipped on the horse’s large halter and tied him to the side of the barn with a quick-release knot before taking off his bridle and slinging it over her shoulder like she would with a handbag. She then loosened the girth, or the cinch as Sandor mentioned for western riding, and lifted off his saddle.

Waddling over to the shed where the tack was stored, Sansa was grateful for her arms still being strong enough to carry the large saddle. She put each piece of tack in his place and went back to the enormous horse still waiting patiently.

“Let’s give you a good brush down, big boy, then you can go roll like I know you want to.”

She spent the next few minutes gently brushing the coat of the grey horse to help remove sweat and debris that formed during their ride. The entire time the gentle giant stood quietly, hanging his head lazily as he enjoyed his treatment. Soon, though, she was finished and even though she always got annoyed with Lady for rolling in the dust after just being brushed, she was always amused at seeing the gigantic horse rolling around.

She had been right about him wanting to go roll around. As soon as he was released and sent off with a good pat on the shoulder, Goliath found a sandy spot near the trio and lied down before wiggling violently to get himself to roll over. Sansa couldn’t help but giggle at the sight. Soon, the horse got back onto his feet and shook himself much like a dog would do after getting wet.

“Yes, I hope you’re happy now,” she called to him.

Her tasks for the day were done, and after double-checking the whiteboard that everything was indeed done, she decided to swing by Stranger’s paddock before going back to the house.

She found not only Stranger in his paddock, but Sandor too. He was muttering encouragements to the black stallion as he put a saddle on his back. Stranger stepped around a bit but was ultimately fine with the thing on his back.

Sansa leaned on the railing of the paddock and watched as Sandor carefully reached underneath the horse to fasten the girth. Stranger stood perfectly still, and his ears flicked in Sansa’s direction so she knew he was aware of her.

Moments later, when Sandor took the reins and led Stranger around for a bit to get him used to it again he noticed her standing there too. He nodded his head in a greeting and she smiled back.

After leading Stranger around and making sure the horse was comfortable with the situation, Sandor stopped walking and calmly stuck his left foot in the stirrup and waited to see how Stranger would react. The stallion was alert but his ears were not being pulled flat against his head, and Sansa saw Sandor slowly mount.

He sat patting the horse’s neck and gave him a moment to adjust to the weight on his back. Sansa noticed the horse danced a bit before Sandor whistled low soothing sounds. Gradually, Stranger calmed down. Sandor clicked and had Stranger walking around the paddock in no time.

It was a fascinating sight for Sansa to see her massive man of a boss work so calmly and gently with the black stallion. Horse trusted rider and rider trusted horse. Their bond was evident.

Sandor started giving the horse more and more rein and soon they went from walking to trotting to a steady canter around the paddock.

To say Sansa found the way Sandor sat steadily on the horse attractive, was a massive understatement. He was focused on the horse underneath him, so focused that his usual scowl wasn’t even evident on his face anymore. Once they found their rhythm, a slight smile could actually be seen on his face. He looked younger, carefree.

The two of them had just cantered past Sansa when a sudden loud noise sounded. From what she could tell, it must’ve been a truck’s horn.

Both Sansa and Sandor were caught off-guard by the sound, but it was Stranger who truly spooked. In a flash, he started bucking and kicking the air like some bronco at a rodeo. Sandor still being surprised along with the horse, clearly wasn’t prepared for the sudden change and lost his balance.

He was thrown through the air and landed hard on the ground with a sickening thud. Stranger stopped his bucking and galloped off to the farthest corner of the paddock. Sansa was through the gaps between the railing of the fence and on her knees beside Sandor in a matter of seconds.

“Oh my god, Sandor! Are you okay? Are you hurt?!”

Sandor rolled onto his back with a groan.

“Ah fuck. No, I’m fine. Where’s Stranger? Can you catch him so he doesn’t get tangled in his reins?”

Sansa looked to where Stranger was standing in the far corner, looking back at Sandor.

“He’s over there, I’ll go get him, yeah. Are you sure you’re okay? Is anything broken or torn?”

He gave a pained chuckle.

“When you do what I do for a living you learn how to fall without breaking shit. Still hurts like bitch, though. I’m fine, really, Little Bird.”

Sansa frowned at the Little Bird but figured there was a chance of a slight concussion, so after checking him over once more, she got up and carefully made her way over to Stranger. She started talking to the horse, keeping her voice in a soothing tone.

“It’s all good now, boy. Wasn’t your fault. We know you don’t like those loud noises. Yes we do. Come on now, it’s okay. We just want to take your tack off.”

Even though he clearly still was extremely nervous and unsure of what had just happened, Stranger let Sansa come close enough to get ahold of his reins. Deciding to not take her chances by leading him back to where he got scared, she started taking off his tack on the spot. He was still a troubled horse who didn’t trust her and she didn’t want to make things worse or get more people hurt.

As soon as the saddle and bridle were off, Stranger made sure to get away from all the tension.

Sansa waddled back to Sandor with the saddle and the bridle. He had at least gotten to sitting up in the dust. His hair was messy and a streak of dirt was on his good cheek. He looked rumpled, not even to mention the state of his clothes.

Sansa plopped the tack back on the ground before offering her hand to pull him up just as he had done earlier that morning. After using both hands and all her strength to pull him to his feet, she picked up the tack again.

“Are you good to walk on your own, or will you need me for support?”

He dusted off the thighs of his jeans. _Like that would make any difference._

“No girl I’m good. Just need a fucking beer after that.”

Sansa quickly went and put away the tack before falling in step with Sandor. Together they made their way to the house, him giving sore and tired steps and her walking slowly next to him, making sure he was alright.

They saw Bronn’s truck parked outside the farmhouse.

“That bastard probably just went inside and made himself comfortable without knowing all the fucking shit he just caused,” Sandor was grumbling as they climbed the steps to the porch, utterly knackered.

Sandor was right. What they found when they entered the house was Bronn leaning on the kitchen island with a beer in his hand. What Sansa didn’t expect was the woman sitting on the barstool laughing at something he said.

“Marge.”

Sandor sounded just as surprised as Sansa felt.

She jumped off the chair and rushed over to Sandor and threw her arms around him. He grunted under the impact. Sansa was immediately a little annoyed at her for causing him to strain just after his fall, especially since it was their arrival that caused it.

“Sandy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Margaery has arrived people! What do you guys think?
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and for all the love and support.
> 
> XOXOXO


	11. Chapter 11

Margaery, or Marge as both men called her, was a beautiful woman. With thick and curling brown hair, large brown eyes and a slender but womanly figure, Sansa could see how any man would find her attractive. Her smile was sweet though a little bit sly, much like Bronn’s in that aspect, like she was in on a secret.

After she released Sandor from her tight embrace, she turned to Sansa with a wide smile on her pretty face.

“Oh, you must be Sansa! It is _so_ lovely to finally meet you. I’m Margaery, by the way. Everyone prefers to call me Marge, though, so feel free to join ‘em.”

Sansa wasn’t a shy person. She could sometimes be a little unsure of herself or a bit insecure in her abilities. Despite those things, she found talking with most people relatively easy, so it was difficult for her to understand why she struggled to find the right words to talk to the warm and friendly lady that was Marge.

“It’s very nice to meet you too, Marge. Bronn has told me a bit about you. I’ve also heard it’s you I should be thanking for causing my employment.”

_See? It’s not hard to make basic polite conversation._

Marge’s bubbly laughter sounded as she hooked her arm in Sansa’s and led her towards the kitchen.

“Oh, of course, I had a little involvement when it came to choosing the right applicant. I mean I knew the person we would choose had to be friend material along with all the horsey experience, and that, sweet Sansa, is what you are. Friend material.”

She opened the fridge and pulled out a beer and handed it to Sansa before grabbing one for herself.

As Sansa looked down at the beer in her hands, she suddenly remembered all that had happened. Sandor! He had said he wanted a beer and Sansa had wanted to make sure he didn’t have a concussion.

She spun around and found him still at the door, slowly taking off his boots. She moved over to his side and extended the beer to him, after all, he probably needed it more.

“You said you would be needing a beer. Well here’s one. Can you please go sit on the couch so I can make sure everything is fine?”

Sansa didn’t enjoy feeling like she was mothering him or bossing him around, but he had taken a hard fall and she really felt concerned for the man.

Sandor gratefully took the beer and grumbled something about women not being able to understand he’s fine when he said he’s fine, but he walked over to the couch and sat down anyway.

Bronn chimed in with his usual cheery manner, “You know, I was just about to ask what the fuck happened to you. It looks like you wrestled a bull or an ox or something big and scary like yourself.”

Sandor shot him an angry glare.

“I’d shut the fuck up if I were you, Blackwater. It’s your fucking fault this happened in the first place.”

Bronn didn’t even look slightly guilty.

Sansa quickly fished out her phone to search up the symptoms for concussions.

“Okay, it says here I should ask about a headache, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, nausea and fatigue or drowsiness. Do you feel any of those things, Sandor?”

He gave a shrug before looking around as if he was testing his senses. Sansa was thankful he was at least taking it seriously, even though he said he was fine three times already. _Can never be too sure._ She crouched in front of him to look in his eyes to see if they were dilated.

The steel grey eyes were surprised at her close presence at first, but then he started looking back into her eyes. Sansa felt like he could see into her soul with eyes like that. They definitely hid some stories, those eyes. That's for sure. He was the one to quickly look away and clear his throat.

“I feel perfectly fine where my head’s concerned. It’s my body that’s going to be sore as fuck tomorrow.”

He made to take a sip from his beer when Sansa snatched it out his hand.

“Wait! It says here to avoid consuming alcohol after a fall because it can cause problems like depression and addiction. Sorry, Sandor, but the beer will have to wait.”

He gave a pained groan.

“Fuck’s sake, woman! I was actually looking forward to that, it’s been a long fucking day. And I thought we just determined it isn’t a buggering concussion.”

She sighed and sat down in front of him.

“Yes, I know that, but we can’t be sure. Rather safe than sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I won’t have a beer either then.”

He grumbled something Sansa couldn’t make out but she took it as compliance.

“Good, thank you. Now, would you like to go shower? Get all that dirt and grime off. You’ll surely feel better afterwards.”

She got up and helped him to his feet. He looked down at her with a tired expression. She lifted her chin and returned his gaze with a look that brokered no argument. Sighing in defeat, he slowly headed into his room to go shower.

Sansa was left to turn back to the kitchen where Bronn and Margaery were standing with two very amused looks on their faces. _Please, dear God, don’t tell me he told her about his suspicions about my feelings for Sandor._

Pouring the open beer down the drain and throwing away the bottle, Sansa’s mind was racing, trying to think of something to talk about. Luckily Marge had some conversation ready for use.

“So Sansa, how have you been finding life here? The horses? How about the big old grump you live with? I do hope he’s not been too insufferable.”

Again, she took Sansa by the elbow and led her to go sit down on the couch before sitting down next to her. She turned her body to be facing Sansa and eagerly waited for her to tell her story.

“It’s been going rather well, I think. It’s really beautiful out here and the horses are all lovely. I actually had the pleasure of meeting Quincy when Bronn brought him over for a visit.”

Sansa hoped Margaery didn’t notice she decided to not talk about her experiences with Sandor. _Not that there are any experiences to mention._

Her daily life had formed a routine and yes, he was part of it, but they’ve both just been going on about their days. While she had been having dreams of him some nights and still felt a little uneasy and nervous in his presence, their relationship had evolved into something that could be considered friendship.

_Though you never know what you might let slip, so it’s best to avoid the topic if possible._

It seemed Margaery didn’t notice the exclusion of Sandor-talk or let it go if she did. She started talking about her beloved miniature horse and Sansa could hear how much she had missed little Quincy while she was away.

She felt a little guilty about having such a harsh reaction to Marge at first. The woman was nothing but kind and full of life. Sansa could really see herself being good friends with her.

_You were tired after a long day and concerned for Sandor, that’s all. Sandor. I hope he’s alright. Should I go check to see if he’s passed out in the shower? No, maybe give it a few minutes before you go all crazy and concerned for the poor man. I could actually just send Bronn to check up on him._

Bronn, as if sensing her thoughts about him, sank down on the couch next to Marge and put his arm around her.

“So tell me how it happened that you’re now looking after that man who’s been perfectly fine on his own for 20 years.”

Sansa could only sigh.

***

Sandor stood leaning against the wall and let the warm water simply roll down his face. He had washed the dust and sweat off minutes ago, but the water was still warm and it had a calming effect on him.

_Her eyes._ He gave a pained groan and scrunched up his face. Those beautiful blue eyes of hers were searching his for a concussion but that wasn't what it felt like. No, it felt like she was trying to read him, to understand him, when she was looking at him so intently. 

It wasn’t the first time he was knocked into the dust and it surely wouldn’t be the last, he knew that. Falling off sometimes was part of riding. Though he couldn’t figure out why this time it was so different. Not physically, no. His body was sore as fuck but then again it always was after a fall. No, the difference this time was the warm and comfortable feeling he got because of _her._ She hadn’t done anything different but express concern for his wellbeing, and that wasn't something that Sandor was used to.

She had been with him, next to him on the ground in a matter of seconds. Usually, he laid there until he gathered the strength to get up.

His thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock at the door and seconds later Bronn was calling through the door.

“You still alive in there bud? Need a rescue team? Medical attention? We’ve got two very lovely looking ladies who could pose as nurses if you needed it.”

Sandor figured he should probably be getting out if even fucking Bronn was expressing concern. He turned off the water and grabbed his towel hanging nearby.

“Fuck off, Blackwater. Can a man not even shower without your constant yapping disturbing the peace?”

He wrapped the towel around himself and yanked open the door to his room. Through all the steam exiting the bathroom with him, he saw Bronn casually lounging on his bed.

“So she told us what exactly happened.”

Sandor could only look at him, this strange man who he somehow considered a friend.

“And I believe the right thing would be to say sorry. I was joking around with Marge in the truck and hit the horn without thinking. You know I’ll do anything to make her laugh.”

He was looking slightly pathetic there on Sandor’s bed, trying to explain himself. Sandor pitied the poor man for his love for that woman.

_Love makes you do crazy things, or so they say. Whoever they might fucking be._

“It’s fine, Bronn. Just get the fuck out of my room unless you wanna sit there and watch.”

He got up with a grunt and walked over to Sandor before giving his still wet shoulder a pat.

“She’s a keeper, that Sansa. Don’t screw it up.”

He simply sauntered out the room like he didn’t just drop a major emotional bomb on Sandor.

_Where the fuck did that come from?_

Deciding that no amount of questioning will ever lead him to understand Bronn Blackwater, Sandor got out his most comfortable sweatpants and shirt and slowly started pulling them on.

Once he was dressed and his hair tied out of his face, Sandor walked out of his room to find Bronn lying across Marge’s lap on the one couch and Sansa politely sitting on the other. From what he could tell, Marge was telling them about her experiences abroad.

He had no choice but to go sit next to Sansa and try and fall in with Marge’s story. Sansa gave him an inquiring look like she was checking to make sure he was okay all while not wanting to disrupt Marge. He gave her a reassuring nod and tried his best to ignore the way his heart celebrated.

“So, Sansa, from what Bronn tells me, you haven’t been out and about on the town. We wanted to come and rescue you from the big grump for a night out, maybe even bring the grump along but I see now that we’ll have to postpone the plans for a day. Looks like the grump won’t survive if you left him on his own.”

Sandor’s stomach tightened. The way she said that... Sansa could get the wrong idea. Well technically she’d get the idea correct but that wasn’t necessarily something he’d want her knowing. She called home a lot, which probably meant a boyfriend and nothing would make life more awkward than finding out her boss has a crush like some green teenage boy. Though Marge was already talking again and he probably should pay attention.

“So we’ll be coming back tomorrow evening to take you out. See if you can convince the grump to join us, but I doubt it.”

She didn’t wait for an argument and stood up, letting Bronn tumble to the ground with an “ow fuck!”

“Come on, Mr Blackwater. We’ve got things to do and places to see. Let’s leave these two. One has to recover and the other has to care.”

She offered him her hand and pulled him up. Once he was on his feet, she smiled and didn’t let go of his hand. She gave his arm a tug and together they made their way to the door.

Sansa smiled, watching them go. She turned to Sandor as the couple reached the door.

“I’ll go see them off. I wanted to go check on Stranger, just to make sure he’s still okay after today. You can go lie down if you’d like.”

Sandor loved her for caring for so many things at that moment. _Wait- Whoa. No, bud, that’s a strong word. You literally just mocked Bronn for that shit. It isn’t you, back the fuck up._

He scared himself so much with that thought that he forgot she was standing in front of him, waiting for an answer. He cleared his throat.

“Uhm thanks, but I think I’ll come with. Wouldn’t hurt to check on Stranger myself.”

She nodded with a smile and set off to follow Bronn and Marge, leaving Sandor to trail after her. Not that he minded. This way he could look at her. For safety reasons of course. Didn’t to want to accidentally walk into her because he wasn’t looking.

_I’m so fucked._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a bit short, but the next one will be longer, I promise.
> 
> Let me know what you think. Where I should improve and what you like.
> 
> Your feedback means the world to me.
> 
> Thanks for reading <3!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Here's a chapter for you all.  
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and leaving kudos. You guys are the very best <3!
> 
> Quick note, I was super rushed to get this chapter out so if you notice mistakes, let me know and I'll go fix them.

The next morning, Sandor woke up to the sound of the kettle boiling somewhere in his house.  _ It’s in the kitchen, you dumb fuck, where else would a kettle be?  _

At first, Sandor thought he had slept through his alarm and that even Sansa was awake by now, but one look at his clock told him that his alarm was going to go off in a minute.  _ She’s up early… _

As he sat up slowly, he was greeted with the familiar soreness that reminded him of everything that had happened yesterday wasn’t some ridiculous dream.

_ Yesterday. _ Yes, he had fallen, that wasn’t such a big deal but the way he was looked after was a big deal. To Sandor alone at least. Sansa didn’t seem to think much of it. She just went on making sure he was okay and healthy like it was the most natural thing in the world.

_ I could get used to that. I fucking shouldn’t. But I really could.  _

Sandor got up with a groan and walked straight out of his room. Sansa looked up at him as he neared her standing in the kitchen and got a pink tint to her cheeks. It was then he realized that in his haste to come and find out what she was doing, he’d forgotten to put on his shirt and was now just standing in his sweats.

_ Well, you’re going to have to power through this. It will look even worse if you just tuck tail and run to go put on a shirt. It’s fine. This is your house, surely you can walk around in it as you like. Just keep it normal.  _

He walked up to the counter and leaned onto it with his forearms.  _ Real smooth, Clegane. _

“Good morning. How are you feeling? Sore? I put on the coffee machine for you, if you’d like some.”

Her voice was crisp and clear and Sandor’s morning already felt better. He straightened himself and walked around the counter and past her to go get his mug. 

“Mornin’. Yeah, I’m sore as fuck. Nothing new about that though.”

She was stirring her tea while adding milk to it as she stirred. After a few more rounds she daintily tapped the teaspoon on the edge of her mug before carefully putting the spoon in the sink. She grabbed her mug with both hands and turned to face him, leaning her back to the counter behind her.

“Well, I think you should take it easy today then. Maybe even take the day off. You’ll want to be rested and well for the night with Marge and Bronn.”

Sandor frowned, took his mug and walked out the door onto the porch, with her following him out and taking a seat on the steps nearby.

“I’m not going out with you tonight.”

Her face fell a little bit and she looked down at her tea. She nodded and took a sip. 

“I mean I won’t force you to come along. I just thought you’d like the chance to go out for a beer. It’s fine if you’re not up to it though.”

_ Ah fuck, _ Sandor sighed internally.  _ Of fucking course I’m going to have to go. How can I refuse her when she pulls a face like that.  _ What was worse was the fact that Sandor knew she wasn’t even making an adorable face like that on purpose. It was just normal disappointment, a look that she was still beautiful in. 

_ Okay, say you’ll go. But find a way to make it seem natural. Normal. How the fuck do I do that? _

“Well, I suppose I’ll have to come anyway. Bronn probably won’t want to drive you all the way back. We’ll take my truck, okay?”

There were few things that made Sandor feel like he did at that moment. Where her head snapped up and a smile crossed her perfect face. 

_ She’s too perfect for the likes of you, Clegane. There’s also no way she’s single. No way a beauty like this is simply available. And above all, she’s still your employee, you’re supposed to be watching over her. So you best get over this lovesick bullshit real quick or you’ll end up acting the fool. _

“Really!? Oh, thank you, Sandor. I’m actually looking forward to seeing a bit more of the town.”

The way she said his name. Sandor’s heart soared and sank at the same time. He didn’t know how it happened this quickly but this girl, this woman, had him under his spell and it was going to be the death of him. 

He suddenly just wanted to keep talking to her. It made him happy, he realized. Just talking. He saw her tea was almost finished and so he spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

“So now that we know I’m going out, what do I wear?”

_ Gods, Clegane. That was the single most stupid thing any human being has ever said. Including all the shit that Bronn sometimes can come up with.  _

It didn’t look like Sansa felt that way, though. Or maybe she was hiding it really well. That radiant smile was back on her face as she looked back at him.

“Well, I’ll be wearing jeans and a nice blouse, you wanna wear jeans and a t-shirt? Should I do extra washing today to ensure everything is clean?”

Surely she was fucking with him. 

“Ah no, I believe I still have a clean pair of jeans and a shirt.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to get rid of the embarrassment he was feeling. It would  _ not _ do to start blushing like some green-boy. He chucked the remaining coffee down his throat and stood up. 

“Well, this day will have to get started. I want to lunge Stranger today to make sure we didn’t lose any progress with him yesterday.” 

She stood up and he took her empty mug from her and walked back into the house, a little pit of nervousness dancing around his stomach when he thought of the evening that lay ahead. 

The day sped by. Stranger was full of shit, but luckily only for a few minutes. Sandor didn’t see much of Sansa but he knew she was nearby. How he knew and felt this, he had no idea. 

But so came the time for him to hop through the shower and comb his hair, which he decided to wear down. It was always best wearing his hair loose when going out in public. He had learned to not give a fuck over the years but sometimes the incessant staring got too much for even Sandor. 

He was taking out his trusty black t-shirt when his eyes fell on his Durangos standing in the bottom of his closet. He heard his mother’s voice, clear in his memory like it was yesterday, “Remember, Sandor, there’s nothing prettier than a man in a white shirt and some cowboy boots.”

Sighing, he got out his boots and took a plain white shirt from a hanger. He was an ugly fuck and no white shirt and boots were gonna change that, but he did it anyway. Even if it was only to be reminded of his mother again. 

The breath was knocked straight out of him when he walked into the living room and saw her standing in the kitchen, texting someone on her phone. She was wearing a yellow blouse with white flowers. The loose blouse was tucked into her jeans and pulled out a bit. On her feet were brown sandals. Her hair braided over one shoulder. She looked beautiful. To Sandor, she was always beautiful but this was another type completely. 

He cleared his throat and she looked up. 

“Ooh, nice boots! Marge said they’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“I don’t know why the fuck they’re driving all this way to come get us if we’re not even going to be riding with them.”

She huffed a laugh and grabbed her handbag which she hooked over her shoulder.

“Marge probably wants to make sure we’re coming and not thinking of bailing on them.”

She checked her bag to make sure she had everything and headed out the door. Sandor watched her walk out onto the porch.  _ Damn those fucking jeans.  _ He tapped his back pocket to make sure his phone and keys were there and followed her out. 

As he shut the door behind him he could see Bronn’s Silverado coming down the road.  _ Well, you better say it quickly, Clegane, before that loud fuck comes and spoils it all. _ He swallowed and looked down at her.

“You look really nice.”

***

The Bawdy Badger was a fun little bar that served good food and cold beer. Country music was playing over the speakers and you could turn your head in any direction and find a cowboy hat. 

Sandor, Bronn, Margaery and Sansa were sitting in a booth enjoying a massive plate of the best buffalo wings Sansa had ever tasted. She and Margaery were each enjoying a glass of wine, Bronn his second beer and Sandor had switched to drinking Coke after his second beer since he was driving home. 

They had spent the evening lazily chatting away. Margaery told them more about the progress of the building of the little schools in Thailand, Bronn made some jokes here and there and Sansa answered questions and talked about her family. It felt to her like there was something that was puzzling Sandor. Or maybe there wasn’t and she was just imagining things because he never asked.

Throughout the evening there were times where Bronn made some comments that could be considered to have hidden meanings where Sansa’s feelings toward Sandor were concerned. During these bits of the conversation, Sansa kept quiet, tried not to blush and hoped Sandor wouldn’t notice. 

The evening was starting to come to an end and Sansa was glad for it. She was exhausted and truly glad she wasn’t the one who had to drive home. Though she promised herself she’d stay awake for Sandor’s sake. 

He had been quiet throughout the evening, but it probably wasn’t out of unpleasantness, he just was a quiet person overall. 

They had said their goodbyes, Sansa getting a warm hug from Marge and a promise that they would hang out again soon before she left for Thailand again. The walk back to the truck was silent, yet comfortable. 

Soon they were driving out of the quaint little town, Sansa feeling content. Sandor was driving the massive truck and keeping to his strong silent character. Her eyelids felt heavy and her vision blurry…

Sansa was woken up by a warm hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to find Sandor standing beside her on the passenger’s side, a gentle expression on his face. 

“Dammit,” she mumbled and he huffed a little laugh that would’ve made her smile if she wasn’t angry at herself. 

“What’s wrong? Forgot something?”

Sansa sighed. She might as well tell him. 

“No, I just didn’t want to fall asleep. It wasn’t fair to you who had to drive home. I’m sorry about that.”

She slowly got out of the truck and closed the door. She expected him to turn and walk to the house but he hadn’t moved at all. He was quite close if she was being honest. Did he have something to say? Looked like it.

“It’s fine for you to have slept. First off, I’m used to making the drive back alone after going out for a drink with those two. Second, I know you haven’t been sleeping well and figured you could use whatever rest you could get.”

_ He noticed?  _ Sansa had become so good at hiding it to not worry her family that she thought it would be the same with Sandor. Now that she knew he knew, she didn’t really know how to respond. 

“Ah-”

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I, uh.. I understand that traumatic experiences can have that effect on a person and haunt you in your dreams for so much longer afterwards. I don’t know if they actually ever stop if I’m honest.”

_ He’s talking about his scars, _ Sansa realized.  _ Of course, it must’ve been a traumatic experience to leave that amount of damage behind.  _

She really wanted to know what happened to him at that moment. Not because of morbid curiosity or whatever, but because she wanted to understand him. To know his hurt. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect him to start telling her as they stood underneath the stars outside his house in the dark, but he did. 

“I was six years old. My dad worked as a farrier. I spent many hours by his side as he worked, horses fascinated me even back then. I, uh, I was sitting and playing with one of my brother, Gregor’s, cowboy toys. Gregor was twelve and was way past playing with toys like that. My dad had left for a smoke or something. Gregor came in while my father was out, furious, and he shoved my face into the furnace. My screams were what alerted my father. He came running and shoved him off of me.”

Sandor’s voice was raspier than usual, thick with emotion. With trauma. 

“My father told everyone I got bumped by a horse and fell into the fire. I actually believed that shit for a while was even scared of horses. After time went on, though, it became more and more clear that my brother was the real one to be feared. I was right. He’s rotting away in some prison somewhere after killing our father when they went out hunting.”

He sniffed and cleared his throat. Sansa knew he had just bared everything to her, put everything on display. She could see him put himself back together after letting his emotions run high for a moment. Her heart broke for him. She didn’t even realize she’s been crying. 

“So, uhm, yeah. I just wanted to let you know I understand. I still dream of fire at least four nights a week. So what I’m trying to say is if you ever need anyone who understands to talk to, I’ve been told I’m a great listener.”

He gave her a weak smile and wiped off a tear from her cheek. He quickly pulled back his hand like he’d realized what he had done only after he’d done it. Sansa didn’t care, though. He’d showed her a bit of himself, not just for anything either. He did it to let her know she wasn’t alone. 

She didn’t think twice before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. He stood frozen, tense, for a second before relaxing and returning the embrace. She had no idea how long the hug underneath the open sky had lasted, it could’ve been anywhere between two seconds and two minutes. She released him and stepped back out of his personal space. 

“Thank you, Sandor. Really, thank you.”

He nodded and together they made their way into the house, each vanishing into their rooms when they got to them. 

As Sansa got into bed that night, she couldn’t help but go over the things Sandor has said. She felt so sad that it had happened to him at all, let alone at age six. Her heart broke for him. But she also felt a warmth. A warmth that started in her centre but soon spread throughout her entire body when she thought about it. He told her because he didn’t want her to feel alone. He put his horrible experiences on display so she wouldn’t feel guilty. And she loved him for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I do it correctly? The scars story? It was one stressful experience writing it, let me tell you that hahaha!  
> Feel free to criticize me, give tips or tell me what I can change.  
> I love and adore all of you, and I hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy.  
> My Tumblr is always open for a chat, so shoot a message over there, if you'd like.
> 
> EDIT: I forgot to mention that things might be a little quiet for the next month or so, we're moving countries and wifi and time will not be something I have much of. Hope that's okay and that you'll still be here when I get back, haha


End file.
